Musical instrument



Aug. 6, 1940. s. N. MONTE-GRANDE MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed NOV. 4, 1938//IIIIIIIIII In an V m n I'IIIII ATTO R N EYS Patented Aug. 6, 1940UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in musical instruments and moreparticularly to stringed instruments of the class characterized asguitars and the like.

One of the principal objects of my invention is to provide a musicalinstrument wherein the head is so constructed and arranged to transmitthe sound vibrations of the instrument from the strings thereof througha diaphragm to the air 10 column, wherein they are amplified andqualified to produce an improved tone.

Another object of my invention is to provide an instrument of the abovedescribed character which is simple in construction, durable in use,

15 efiicient in operation and economical in manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdescription, appended claims and annexed drawing.

20 Referring to the drawing wherein like reference characters designatelike parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a top plan View of my invention.

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view through 25 the head or body ofthe instrument illustrating a portion of the neck attached thereto.

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4. is a detail perspective view of the 30 slider employed in theplaying of the instrument.

Figure 5 is a detail perspective view of the pick.

In practicing my invention, I provide a musical 35 instrument '5 of asubstantially guitar type equipped with a body 6 and which hasdetachably secured thereto a neck I. The neck 1 is fashioned with theusual finger board 8 over which extend a pair of strings 9 the upperends 4 of which are secured to adjustable pegs l mounted in the upperend of the neck in the usual manner. The lower ends of the strings lineare secured to the upper wall i I of the body 6 by means of a securingmember 12 fastened thereto as illustrated in Figures 1 and 3 of thedrawing.

The upper wall H of the body 6 is fashioned with a circular opening !3and subjacent said wall II and in registry with the opening I3 is a 50hollow cylinder l4 secured to the bottom wall l of the body by means ofscrews I6. Interposed between the lower face of the wall II and theupper face of the cylinder I4 is a diaphragm ll, the latter beingpreferably constructed of rela- 55 tively thin steel and which issecured between said wall H and cylinder by means of screws IS. Thediaphragm I1 is formed with a centrally disposed aperture over whichextends a bridge 20 secured'to the upper face of the diaphragm H andsaid bridge supports the strings 9 in the usual manner. At one of therear corners thereof, the body is ofiset laterally to provide anextended section 21, the upper end of which is apertured and fashionedwith an outwardly flared circumferentially extending flange 22. The sidewall of the body adjacent the section 2| is fashioned with a partition23 which extends from said side wall to the lower side of the cylinderl4 and forms a substantially spiral passage between an elongated opening24 formed in the cylinder and the section 2| as clearly illustrated inFigure 2 of the drawing.

In use, when the instrument is played, the diaphragm I! is vibratedagainst the air column within the cylinder l4 and the tones are emittedthrough the aperture 24 into the spiral passage 25 where they areamplified and pass outwardly through the flange 22. A slider 25 isemployed for engagement with the strings 9 and a pick 21 is utilized forpicking the strings in the manner 25 of a Hawaiian guitar.

The lower end of the neck 1 is fashioned with a dovetail 28 over whichis secured a wear plate 29 and said dovetail plate is detachably securedwithin a dovetail socket member 29 secured to 30 the upper side wall ofthe body 6 as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawing. A screw 3!]secures the lower end of the member 29 to the lower end of the platewhereby to maintain the neck connected to the body. Removal of the screw30 permits the neck to be detached from the body whereby the instrumentmay be conveniently packed.

I claim:

1. In an instrument of the class described, a hollow body formed with alaterally and outwardly disposed section and provided with side, lowerand upper walls, said upper wall fashioned with a pair of spacedopenings with one of the latter disposed substantially centrally of thebody and the other substantially centrally with respect to said section,a hollow cylinder formed with a sound emitting slot in one side thereofand disposed within said body, said cylinder fixed to said upper andlower walls and arranged axially and concentrically with respect to saidfirst defined opening, a diaphragm secured between said upper wall andsaid cylinder and extending across said first defined opening, and apartition fixed to said upper and lower walls and extending between saidside wall and said cylinder adjacent said slot and said section anddefining a substantially cochleous passage extending from said slot toWithin said section whereby sound emitted through said slot is amplifiedthrough said last defined opening.

2. The structure of claim 1 as set forth and defined therein including,a string supporting bridge member secured to said diaphragm forimparting vibration to the latter upon playing of strings carried onsaid bridge.

SANTIAGO N. MONTEGRANDE.

